WY1272 Oktoberfest?

[ksbrain]

I keep looking for just the right warm-temperature yeast for oktoberfest-style beer.

First I used US-05. Meh.

Then I tried S-04. No. I seem to be very sensitive to diacetyl.

Last year I tried WY1338. It was OK, but not great. Fermentation was super slow, and the taste was a little weird. Sort of seemed unclean and yeasty, all the way until the end of the keg.

This year, I need to get done dropping gravity points in two weeks, and 1338 could not do that for me.

This year I'm trying WY1272. I'm hoping it has some sort of flavor beyone US-05, but still gets done fermenting quickly. I've read I should probably keep it warm, like 68F if I want it done on time.

Does anyone who's used 1272 have any other advice?

 

[Snowhere]

I used WPL001 California yeast for my Oktoberfest (Oktoberfast) because I do not have a fermentation chamber yet. Since my laundry room/fermentation room stays in the low 60's in the winter, I figured the clean fermentation of the California Ale yeast would do just that, be clean in flavor more in line with a Oktoberfest. I can't really tell you how it came out, as I have not bottled it yet. It's been fermenting now for 26 days, I will bottle it sometime next week. I want to brew another batch before it warms up but would like to know how this one turned out before I do. I may just brew the same to get it in before my window of opportunity goes away.

 

[ksbrain]

I used US-05 (which is supposedly the same as WLP001) for my first Oktoberfest a few years back. It came out fine, but I'm looking for something to differentiate my Oktoberfest from any other random brown ale I make.

 

[flabyboy]

Edwort has an Oktoberfest recipe that uses a Kolsch yeast. it's supposed to taste very good

 

[MNDan]

I love 1272 and feel like it might be a decent match for an Oktoberfest. It's a true top-cropping yeast that has always been very consistent for me. Tends to bring out a little more maltiness than 1056.

 

[ksbrain]

I am concerned mainly because I need to turn these O-fests around in two weeks in the fermenter. 1338 is very slow acting. Now I've read that 1272 is pretty slow, too. And the Kolsch yeast is supposed to be slow too.

Brewing tomorrow. Time will tell what 1272 can do in two weeks at 67F. Worst case, it's US-05 again this year.

 

[GuldTuborg]

The McEwan's strain flocs well and is pretty clean at low temps. Maybe that could be something to try. It's a pretty versatile yeast.

 

[MNDan]

1272 hasn't been too slow for me, and I've usually been able to keg it within 8 days with adequate pitching rates and temps in the upper 60's.

 

[rjwhite41]

I brew IPA's and IIPA's with 1272 and I wouldn't call it slow. It kicks off more fruitiness than I think is appropriate for a lager personally. If I were you I would use 1272 for those brown ales and use 1056 for your oktoberfest.

 

[ksbrain]

Well it's pitched with 1272. The yeast had a born on date of 2/22/11!

I'm going for 67F for this one. It's warming up right now. Those winter tap waters through the immersion chiller cool down the hot wort quick! If only we could have the warm brewing temps of summer with the cool brewing waters of winter...